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June 17, 2011 - June 30, 2011

Last contest period's winners were Vickie W., Senga R., L. Hann, Saraand Robin., who each received a copy of CARTE BLANCHE by Jeffery Deaver, FALLEN by Karin Slaughter and ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci.

 

Lynn H.
Life's a Beach by Claire Cook
Rating: 3 Stars
If you are looking for something light to read --- this is it. The characters are quirky and funny.

There is no big romance and nothing deep to contemplate. Just a quick, fun read which is just what I wanted before picking up my next nonfiction, serious book.

 
Julie H.
Best Staged Plans by Claire Cook
Rating: 3 Stars
Sandy Sullivan has reinvented herself from elementary art teacher to home stager as she herself has entered those empty nest years. Itching to revitalize her own home and downsize, she has trouble motivating hubby Greg and son Luke. When the chance arrives to stage a new hotel in Atlanta (the benefit of being near newly married daughter Shannon) Sandy jumps at the chance to leave home. 

Summer is always a good time for a new Claire Cook story and I really enjoyed Sandy. This was a very short novel and I did feel some plot lines were tied up a little too neatly and quickly, but all in all, a great summer read!

 
Bonnie
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow, what an amazing, page-turner of a book. Nonfiction account of the crash of a plane in New Guinea in WWII with US service men and women aboard. Only three survive the crash and this book tells of their contact with natives who've never seen "white" people before and their subsequent harrowing rescue despite almost insurmountable odds. Would make a great movie.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Hell's Corner by David Baldacci
Rating: 4 Stars
As usual, David Baldacci weaves an intriguing story about the activities of the agencies that guard the President and the American people. His stories penetrate a person's blasé attitude and challenge one to action. Baldacci uncovers the free rein of these watchdog agencies. In this story, the President enlists Oliver Stone to travel to Russia and investigate what the Russians are planning, but before Stone can leave for Russia, a bomb explodes in a park across the street from the White House. Stone and a British agent race to discover the people behind the bombing. Stone and Chapman are always a step behind the bombers, which indicates a mole. The tale is riveting and compels the reader to continue reading. A great, but disturbing novel.


 
Lorna
A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Rating: 3 Stars
This is the second in the Reverend Clare Fergusson Mystery series. I read the first one for my book club so I wanted to see what was going on with the Reverend and the police chief. Nothing much has changed --- they're still keeping their feelings to themselves. The mystery itself was pretty lame and unbelievable. I would really give this book 2-1/2 stars. I will continue to read the series just to keep up the the two main characters.
 
Meera
Sister by Rosamund Lupton
Rating: 4 Stars
When I started this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. The book is written in the perspective of the main character talking directly to her missing sister and brings up a lot of anecdotes from the past while still in the present. I found it hard to keep track of what is happening. However, once I became accustomed to the unique narrative style, I was drawn into the story. I had to know what happened to the missing sister. The mystery was attention grabbing and not easy to figure out. I found the main character to be very multi-faceted.

This book would appeal to readers who like mysteries and/or thrillers. I think the author did a fine job with her first novel. I could not give this the highest rating because I think her writing needed some polishing, especially in the beginning of the novel. But I would definitely read her next novel.

 
Dianne
Once Upon a Time There Was You by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 3 Stars
The story seemed incomplete somehow. I thought the characters were poorly developed but very likeable. You want to know more about them and their motivations than was provided. Good but not her best book. I listened to the audio book.
 
Linda J.
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Rating: 4 Stars
Dewey? Yes we Dew! Dewey is to cats what Marley is for dogs. Pleasant read.
 
Julie H.
OyMG by Any Fellner Dominy
Rating: 3 Stars
A cute title for what was a thought-provoking book. Ellie's attending a Christian based speech camp, hoping to get a leg up on a scholarship opportunity for a local private school. However, Ellie's parents are Jewish and Christian --- she has grown up with one foot in mostly Jewish traditions. This book addressed Ellie's conflicting feelings very well.
 
Crystal B.
The April Fools' Day Murder by Lee Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
Ex-nun Christine Bennett Brooks hunts the murderer of a man who died twice that day.
 
Suzanne K.
Autumn Sonata by Kaila E Haines
Rating: 5 Stars
A fictional love story based on the musical structure of a Brahms' sonata, AUTUMN SONATA charts the star-crossed, worldly paths of Emily and Simon, whose fates converge at a conference in Istanbul.

At an international conference in Istanbul, high-profile executive Emily White is curiously compelled to raise her hand and bare her soul. Little does she know that the repercussions will extend far beyond the buzzing seminar. So begins a union of two souls that are so harmoniously intertwined, it calls to mind two instruments coming together in a stirring sonata. In a highly inventive debut novel by Kaila E. Haines, Autumn Sonata shares a tale of two star-crossed lovers whose convergence is almost musical-and certainly magical.

Inspired by the structure of an imagined sonata for piano and clarinet, the evocative love story of Emily and Simon is certain to strike a chord with anyone who believes, or perhaps simply hopes, that soul mates can connect, and ultimately champion the most far-reaching of obstacles


 
Marsha
Buried Prey by John Sandford
Rating: 5 Stars
Flashback to Lucas Davenport's early days as a young cop in the Minneapolis police department. His obsession in a case of missing girls put him on the fast track to detective. Years later the bodies are found in an excavation and he is back tracking the real killer. Thrilling.
 
Lynn
The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble
Rating: 2 Stars
I actually couldn't finish this book --- it was too depressing and boring. My book club discussed it last night and half of them actually did finish it and they said most of the second half of the book was OK. No one loved it though.
 
Sean from OHIO
Vicious Circle by Mike Carey
Rating: 4 Stars
Mike Carey, who has written a bunch of comics that have both thrilled and disappointed me, pens an amazing sequel in his Felix Castor series. I really think that this novel is better than the first and has me jazzed for the next in the series. Castor is a likeable rogue who is trying to do the right thing even if it's impossibly difficult or unpopular. 

The world that Carey creates here --- with ghosts, zombies, exorcists, and more --- is phenomenal. It somehow seems completely believable and fantastical at the same time. My only slight gripe is that in the middle of the book there seemed to be a ton of storylines going on and it was almost too much. They did come together nicely but I could imagine some readers throwing the towel Overall a very good book!

 
Sharron
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Rating: 3 Stars
Story of growing up on Nebraska plains in late 1800s and the relationship between 10-year-old Jim and 14-year-old Antonia, an immigrant. Cultural, language, and social differences made this friendship difficult at times. The story takes you through their teens and adulthood. This is more about "remembering" a lost love that may or may not have been "true."
 
Debbie
The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an inspiring book about a horse on his way to the slaughterhouse, only to be chosen as a school horse for a private girl's school. This nonfiction rendering is set in the 1950s, but the author, Elizabeth Letts, incorporates other years to relate the story. I enjoyed the determination and luck of the story. 

Snowman, a flea-bitten horse headed for death, becomes a steeplechase grand champion. His owner, Harry de Leyer, radiates the pages with his perseverance and kindness. The story wanders off the path many times to explain various practices and historic information. I learned so much with this book: the disappearance of horses after WWII due to the use of more machinery, the rigors of steeple chase riding, the decrease of need for veterinarians after WWII, and the bleak retirement for the majority of horses. The story balanced bleak reality with sheer wonderment at good fortune.

 
Vanessa
Angel's Rest by Emily March
Rating: 5 Stars
ANGEL'S REST is the first book in the new Eternity Springs series by Emily March. Tragedy leads to happiness in this touching tale of new beginnings. Filled with an engaging cast of characters, readers will enjoy the healing powers of this magical town set amid the Colorado Rockies.
 
Abigail
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Rating: 4 Stars
This heartwarming novel drove me crazy as I refused to ever lower the book from my gaze as I flipped through the pages, reading on and on eager to know what happens next.

The book helps me in ways I cannot describe, showing me the grace in it as it reminds me how everyone doesn't want love or forgiveness, but needs and deserves it no matter the situation. Love comes in many different ways and it is portrayed here how the undying love for one another can kill you, but even more save you and your soul. Religion to me is important, and here, being a Christian, helps me become closer to God in a way.

I was a bit saddened when I went looking for relating books similar to this one. Every time I hit Enter, all that the drop down list told and recommended was theTwilight series well as The Vampire Diaries. Unfortunately, I have no desire for those two. And even though most people say Twilight and The Dark Divine are just the same, I see deeper into the two stories. THE DARK DIVINE provided me with the romance, mystery, intensity, and every now and then humor I craved unwillingly from it. And it gave me just that. I hope many others may come to see these differences when reading different or similar books. 

It was a fabulous book, magnificent to the point where I had no intention of it ever ending. Definitely forever more a top favorite of mine and a very thoughtful book that left me thinking, but smiling.

 
Cindy H
Bill Warrington's Last Chance by James King
Rating: 4 Stars
Interesting book with intriguing characters. It's part family drama, part road trip, part coming of age, with an aging father with on-set Alzheimers wanting to reunite his family.
 
Cindy H
Home Again by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 2 Stars
I love Hannah's newest works --- NIGHT ROAD for one was an excellent book --- so I wanted to read some of her earlier books. I did not like this one; it was too unbelievable, just a quicky romance story.
 
Patti D.
Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
Once again, Nora captures the reader with not only an awesome story line about fire jumpers, but with characters that you can relate to so much that when the book is done (with some "wow" twists and turns) you feel like you have lost some good friends.
 
Patti D.
Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a story about magicians, but not your average, every-day ones. Anything else I would say about the book, would spoil it, but it will embrace you from the first page and will not let go until after you have read it.
 
Patti D.
Family Storms by V. C. Andrews
Rating: 5 Stars
If there was a 5+ it would go to this book! It's been a long time since a book has made me gasp out loud --- this book did TWICE. This is the beginning of a series, and I cannot wait until the next book!
 
Sandy
Fragile by Lisa Unger
Rating: 5 Stars
This book took me by surprise at the ending. Loved it!
 
Susan R.A.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Rating: 5 Stars
Great writing. Thomas Cromwell struts back and forth on the pages
 
Juanita
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Rating: 4 Stars
I have really enjoyed this book; my second time to read it, this time for our Book Discussion. I felt like I was reading "personal" stories. A book that will stay with me.
 
Phyllis
Quicksilver by Amanda Quick
Rating: 5 Stars
I'm a big fan of the Arcane series books and I really enjoyed this second book inThe Looking Glass Trilogy. I liked reading more about the Sweetwater family, who have been entwined with the Jones' family throughout the Arcane books. Owen, Virgina, and their friends kept the adventure interesting and fast paced. 

I've also enjoyed the clockwork figures in The Looking Glass Triology books; I'm looking forward to CANYONS OF NIGHT to see how they appear in the far future.


 
Lynn
The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
Rating: 4 Stars
The story of a mother claiming responsibility for a car accident to protect her daughter. 

This is a book you just don't want to put down until you find out how it ends. I loved it!

 
CherylS22
The Innocent Man by John Grisham
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a non-fiction book about injustice in small town America. It's a bit shocking to learn about some of the shoddy work done in handling death row cases in Ada, Oklahoma --- I can only imagine what goes on in other small towns in America! I guess "innocent until proven guilty" means nothing in some parts of the country. Although I found this book interesting, I don't like to read non-fiction --- thus the 3 star rating.
 
Judy O.
Exposure by Therese Fowler
Rating: 5 Stars
Amelia Wilkes and Anthony Winter are teenagers who fall in love. One awful day Amelia's father finds nude pictures of Anthony on his daughter's computer; and, in his extreme anger, reports it to the police. Before long a horrible situation has developed. 

This wonderful novel explores the problem of "sexting" and whether it should be a felony if the parties are both consenting. My heart broke for these two kids, who were truly in love. The book reminds me of a Jodi Picoult novel. Very good read.

 
Marguerite
The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 5 Stars
If you like historical fiction, then you will love this book. The history that is the basis for this book is the Bolshevik Revolution in the Soviet Union. I've read a bunch of books where the history is either WWII, the Middle East or the US during the Civil Rights movements. This was a change, a much welcomed change, and is definitely worth your time.
 
Eloise D.
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
Rating: 3 Stars
Sequel to GONE BABY GONE, the main character is once again searching for Amanda. The ending had a twist that made me read the last few chapters over again to catch it all. I enjoyed the fact that it took place in my neighboring Boston area.
 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Rating: 5 Stars
Laura was 30 years old, a teacher, and unmarried...not good according to Mississippi's social crowd. A woman her age should be married and have children. She was embarrassed about it, and her mother didn't help with her comments.

One day, though, Henry came to dinner and "saved" Laura from all the embarrassment. He asked her to marry him. She did and was happy. The happiness waned when Henry bought a farm to fulfill his lifelong dream of planting cotton along with a farmhouse with no running water, no plumbing, or electricity. Laura's life had hardships she was not used to, but she endured. 

The book was compelling...the chapters were divided into the description of and the tales of the main characters' lives, past and present. MUDBOUND was a portrayal of what life was like in Mississippi in the 1940s during and after WWII...the racial prejudices, the country re-building after the men came back from the war, the social issues, and the everyday life of Southern families, both black and white. 

The author's style is outstanding; you won't want to put the book down. The plot's tension and ultimate horror along with the characters will keep coming back to you even after you turn the last page.

 
Sandra F.
Dante's Numbers by David Hewson
Rating: 5 Stars
Great book --- well written with a great plot and wonderful characters. This mystery is set in Rome and San Francisco and revolves around the making of a movie.
 
Sandra F.
Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
Rating: 4 Stars
A lovely book about a Cree bush pilot and his two nieces. It is sad to see the damage that the world "down south" can have on aboriginal peoples who traditionally live in the north.
 
Sandra F.
Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
Rating: 4 Stars
A charming science fiction story about a teen who has to come to terms with her ability to save her world.
 
Susan J.
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
Rating: 4 Stars
William Dodd just wanted some quiet time so that he could finish his planned multi-volume work about the Old South. He thought that a position as the US Ambassador to Germany in the relative calm of post-Great War Germany would allow him plenty of time to write. What he didn't know is that Roosevelt had asked several men before him to fill the position, and all had refused. And he didn't know how much power the new chancellor, Hilter, was gaining in Germany.

This is one of countless books about this dark period in time, and some have questioned if another one was needed or wanted. What makes one this different is that it focuses on Dodd and his battle as ambassador, and on Martha, his adult daughter who also went to Germany with him, along with Dodd's wife and adult son.

What I found surprising and discouraging is that so many basically good people ignored the early warning signs. As their rights were dissolving, they continued to hold hope that the situation was temporary and would lead eventually to a better Germany. Many of them eventually started turning in their neighbors for petty offenses and imagined insults. It was heartbreaking, and so preventable.

I was also surprised to find how common and accepted antisemitism was in the United States. People in the US actually had some sympathy for the German "Jewish problem" because they viewed the US as also having a Jewish problem. And civil rights in the US were still criminally inadequate. It was hard for the US to complain about things that were happening in Germany when atrocities such as lynchings were still happening here. Dodd himself expressed some antisemitism. Dodd was also being actively undermined by political powers in Washington. 

I had much less empathy for daughter Martha. She embraced the whole German culture, turned a blind eye to anything that seemed disturbing, and seemed to value her numerous love interests over everything else. She came across as selfish and shallow, a thrill seeker with poor morals and less common sense. She certainly was interesting, though.

I haven't read the author's other books, although THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY is high on my to-read list. This one is well worth reading, a good story wrapped around a fascinating and horrible time in history. The book is very well written. A couple of the metaphors that the author used seemed jarring to me, but that is a minor thing. I prefer footnotes to the end notes that this book had, but that is also relatively minor, a formatting issue. Most importantly, I simultaneously learned from and was captivated by this book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance reader's copy. I had already ordered a hardback copy, and the hardback is the one I read.

 
Paul D.
Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom
Rating: 5 Stars
Swedish crime novel with plenty of tension and twists. I highly recommemd it.
 
JJ Kelly
Death Cry by Gemma Mawdsley
Rating: 5 Stars
I have been a huge fan of this author since I read her first novel, THE PAUPER'S GRAVEYARD. I recently downloaded her new novel, DEATH CRY, from Smashword and I can't believe how good it is. One expects some authors to be a one hit wonder, but Ms. Mawdsley is growing stronger with each of her works.

I recommend you read DEATH CRY as it will hold you spellbound from start to finish. I particularly loved the sting in the tail ending. Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Rating: 5 Stars
"Sail on Silver Girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on their way." -- Page 341

Meredith Delinn certainly didn't feel like any dreams were coming true after her husband was arrested for stealing millions from investors.

Being the wife of an investment thief definitely was not pleasant. Freddy had cheated investors out of millions, was finally caught, and made his family's life miserable. He wouldn't talk to authorities about anything and wouldn't tell them that his wife and sons had nothing to do with his swindling of investors out of their money. Meredith and her two sons were also under investigation.

So.as Freddy was hauled off to jail for 150 years, Meredith left town with her best friend, Connie. They were staying at Connie's beach house in Nantucket...beautiful Nantucket where Meredith had to remain incognito since many investors lived there.

Despite her disguise, someone recognized Meredith and small assaults on Connie's property started occurring. They were blaming Meredith for Freddy's thievery.

SILVER GIRL went from past to present describing the story behind each character and how they became the person they were today. Many themes were presented --- love, health issues, social issues, family and friendship connections, and most evident...GREED, BETRAYAL, and DECEIT. All three were ruining many lives including Meredith's.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and became involved with the characters. The characters were made of a great circle of friends tangled in situations since high school. As you read the book, you will start to ask yourself: Do I really know the people I have in my life relationships? Well..hopefully we do, but the book definitely will make you question yourself.

I am giving Silver Girl an outstanding 5/5....Ms. Hilderbrand kept my interest from the first to the very last page.

 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
The Card by Jim Devitt
Rating: 5 Stars
Winning an essay contest definitely turned out to be excellent for Van, or so he thought. His prize was the opportunity to be a bat boy in the dugout of a major league baseball team and rub shoulders with all the big names. His dad was thrilled, and so was he. On his first day with the team, his dad gave him a special baseball card that he described as magic. But...was the card really magic or was it bad news?

Bad news happened not too long after the card appeared, and what was to be magic turned out to be something Van wished he had not even heard of. What would have been the reason he won the contest in the first place, and what was so important about a Moe Berg baseball card to cause all this trouble? Did either have anything to do with the things starting to happen in his life?

Baseball fans will definitely enjoy the book because of the details about the behind-the-scenes activities that happen in a locker room of a baseball team. Mystery fans will enjoy the book as well...the ending was filled with action :)

I enjoyed the book...it is a Young Adult read. It is fast moving, and the added interest of the mysterious men in black suits keeps you going. The author had good development of the plot and the characters and definitely had you guessing until the end.

 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins
Rating: 4 Stars
Letters, letters, letters...did yours arrive yet?

They weren't letters you would want to receive, though. They were letters from Rachel, a dear friend who had died unexpectedly, and contained her last wishes for each friend to carry out. Would you go to great lengths to fulfill a friend's dying wish?

Most of the requests were outlandish, but were sent to be sure her friends would find happiness or do something they would never dream of doing. She really wanted all of her friends to improve something in their lives. 

Of course the friends felt obligated to carry out the requests even though Kate felt hers was the most daring and Jo argued that none could be worse than the one she received...but then came Sarah's...all agreed hers seemed the most fun. They also thought that the attorney had mixed up the letters --- how could Rachel expect Kate and Jo to complete these requests? Or maybe she knew something they didn't know about what was best for her friends?

The book is refreshing, light, and at times a teary read that lets you enjoy some adventures both good and bad with the characters. It also makes you realize that sometimes unexpected circumstances are just what you need even though you don't think you could even come close to being able to achieve the goal. 

As her dear friends gathered at the grave for the year anniversary of Rachel's death, they all agreed: "Rachel didn't want us to through it alone."

 
Sara
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 5 Stars
You HAVE to read this! This is such a high quality book, and entertaining the whole way through. Brandon's Mistborn series is amazing, as well.
 
Sara
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book in a series. The way he wraps up the entire plot in the third book is truly amazing...you'll want to re-read it as soon as you finish!
 
Kellie
Eden Close by Anita Shreve
Rating: 5 Stars
It's been a while since I've read an Anita Shreve book. Now I remember why I like this author so much. This is a story of Andrew and Eden. They are neighbors. They become childhood friends. Something happens to Eden's family when she is 14 that changes their lives forever. 

Andrew has always cared for Eden but she was so young he kept his distance. Even as he reached adulthood, he still thought of her. When his mother dies, he goes back to his childhood farm house and confronts the demons that have been lingering in the back of his head for so long. 

The one thing that separates this author from others I've read is that thoughts, feelings and emotions you have are placed on a page and reveal so much. The reader should be amazed that an author can express someone's inner being so well on paper. This was one of Shreve's earlier works. It is fantastic. One of the best I've read this year.

 
Brady
I'm Over All That and Other Confessions by Shirley MacLaine
Rating: 4 Stars
I have been a Shirley MacLaine fan for decades and have read most of her books. This one rehashes her likes and dislikes and fills you with new information in her life. This is a light read and one to introduce you to her.
 
Julie
The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff
Rating: 5 Stars
Set during the second World War, this is a story of a 19-year-old bride who is left alone in Poland when her husband is forced to disappear underground. She changes her identity and name to that of a gentile and meets a Nazi official. She compromises her safety and her marriage by using her position as his assistant to gain detials of the Nazi occupation. Very well written and engrossing. A real page turner
 
Kellie
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright
Rating: 4 Stars
THE WEDNESDAY LETTERS is about a family who loses their parents the same day. The father wrote his wife a letter every Wednesday and when the parents die, the adult children find the letters and begin reading them. They discover a life changing secret. Glancing at some of the reviews, I was surprised to read that a lot of readers were disappointed there wasn't more about the relationship between Jack and Laurel and their love story. I did not feel that way. To me, this was a story about a family and how their lives changed after the death of their parents. The love of the parents seemed to be the focal point of the story but there was so much more to this book then just that. 

This was a book I could not put down. A rarity these days. So, right off the bat this book would be a 5. However, the ending was a bit too Hollywood. Not very believable to me. I still enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone. A nice, quick summer read.

 
Jean
Gone With A Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West
Rating: 3 Stars
I had heard high praise for this mystery. It was described as "fun and funny" and the author was compared to Janet Evanovich. At first, I really lived the book and then it became lackluster. I never laughed out loud! To me, this was just an okay read.
 
Phyllis
Cassidy Jones And The Secret Formula by Elise Stokes
Rating: 5 Stars
Cassidy Jones never dreamed of being a superhero. She was a typical 14-year-old.dealing with 7th grade, not knowing how to handle a crush, trying to stay out of the way of bullies.until the day she accompanies her news reporter father to an interview. To stay out of the way while her father is interviewing the scientist Serena Phillips, Cassidy perches on a wobbly stool. When the stool breaks, she falls against a cabinet, hitting her head and causing beakers full of fluid to turn over and break. As she falls, she breathes in the vapor caused by the combining fluids. Her body starts to react to the chemicals; in fact, by the time she is taken to the emergency room, the deep gash on her head is barely there. As Cassidy notices the changes in her body, she is scared and doesn't know who she can safely tell. 

When the scientist is kidnapped, Cassidy meets her brilliant son, Emery. He quickly realizes Cassidy is dealing with her body mutating with sharpened vision and mental abilities and with increased athletic speed and moves and helps her find ways to handle her new body. After Cassidy's father is also kidnapped, she and Emery find Cassidy's super abilities are needed as they work together to locate Dr. Phillips and Mr. Jones. 

This is a very good novel for ages 12 and older. It is fast paced with adventure and humor. The characters are well developed and the dialogue flows well. Even as an adult, I enjoyed it and want to see what happens next to Cassidy and Emery. 

Received through Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

 
Marion M.
Room by Emma Donaghue
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a book that you do not forget! Stories like this are in the news everyday. It was a slow starter but then I could not stop thinking about all the problems and the difficulties encountered by this mother and son. A really good read.
 
Coral H.
Spider Web by Earlene Fowler
Rating: 5 Stars
Benni Harper mystery. Each book is better than the one before. She is curator of th San Celina museum. She has lots of extended family and lots of friends. Her first husband was killed and is now married to Gabe Ortize, the Police Chief. There is sniper shooting of police officers, but not to kill. She helps solve the mystery.
 
Carol
Primitive by Mark Nykanen and Deborah Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
Great adventure story with a message. A little heavy-handed sometimes with that message but overall a good read.
 
Freckles
Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello
Rating: 3 Stars
A cute, modern day Cinderella style story. Moved a little slowly in some places but most of the book was cute.
 
Pat S.
The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
Rating: 4 Stars
It began rather slow but was very good once I got into it. Wouldn't it be wonderful to find such letters and be able to research them in the manner she did? Quite interesting.
 
Tanya
The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
Rating: 3 Stars
3.5 stars. The book is set in the south in the 1950s. It deals with race relations and complicated family relationships.
 
Jackie
It's About Your Husband by Lauren Lipton
Rating: 3 Stars
Chick Lit about an unemployed 30-something who gets convinced to begin spying on other women's husbands for money.
 
Jill
The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love by Jill Conner Browne
Rating: 3 Stars
I thought it would be another sort of YA YA SISTERHOOD kind of southern women story....And it was. But this one was a TRUE story of southern women who started out marching in a parade to liven up their lives and has grown into a brand and a small cottage industry.
 
Brady
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Rating: 4 Stars
This novel is a story about a subject I knew nothing about --- the treatment of citizens of Slavik nations by the Russians just before and during WWII. It's about as bad as Hitler's treatment of the Jews --- working as slaves and treated worse than animals in the Arctic Circle. The dialogue is simplistic, however the story is not.
 
Dusty
Deep Black: Conspiracy by Stephen Coonts
Rating: 3 Stars
Another good read in Coonts' Deep Black series. Intrigue and mystery as the Deep Black NSA team solves the murder of a Secret Service Agent with trails into present day Vietnam.
 
Sharron
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Rating: 5 Stars
Captivating multi-generational story that moves back and forth in time and from Australia to England. Four-year-old "Nell," her adopted name, lands in Australia alone and doesn't remember anything of her past. Years later, she travels to England to find her past from clues in a fairy tale book. While there, she buys a small cottage on a larger estate. She vows to return but is suddenly "burdened' with her granddaughter, Cassandra. Cassandra inherits the cottage and travels to England to settle the estate and ends up learning much more than she dreamed about her grandmother. 

There is so much to this story --- envy, class, secrets, love, murder. What a great read!

 
Eileen K., Ph.D.
The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson
Rating: 5 Stars
Not only is the author a good writer but also a fantastic person after sitting with her at the LitFest luncheon in Chicago. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award. The story spans three generations of family interaction and both function and dysfunction. It is a great story that mirrors what is going on in the culture.
 
Vickie W.
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 4 Stars
A fire starts in an elementary school and a mom has to make a choice to save her own daughter or someone else's. Her decision is the basis for the entire book, with some intrigue included about who started the fire. Good read and totally unlike most of Scottoline's other books!
 
Robin
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
Rating: 2 Stars
I was not impressed. Golden is irresponsible and selfish. We are supposed to feel sorry for him, because he is inundated by responsibilities to his family. Get a grip. He chose the life, live with it. The best part of the book was the voice of the character Rusty, and his difficult life in such a large family.
 
Rosalie S.
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Rating: 4 Stars
An interesting story of a young girl from Hong Kong and her mother coming to America in the 1990s...the difficulties they must overcome and the miserable living conditions they must endure.
 
Rosalie S.
The Last Child by John Hart
Rating: 5 Stars
I only started reading this book Thursday and I am already half way through it. This is the story of a kidnapped girl (13 yrs of age) and her twin brother. The girl is missing, but the brother is trying to find her. Many twists and turns to keep me reading.
 
Cherie W.
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright
Rating: 4 Stars
Christian Fiction about a couple; the husband writes a letter to his wife each Wednesday. The story starts with their deaths. Their kids are left to answer questions and the letters offer clues.
 
Kathryn
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
Rating: 4 Stars
Conroy's autobiography focuses on why we all read...for the simple pleasure of being transported, the pleasure of words, ideas, travels, learning of other cultures...t's all on the written pages. Too bad we can't all put it into words as well as he can. This was a pleasant, relaxing and thoughtful read.
 
Kathryn
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
Continues the story from SHANGHAI GIRLS and takes right off. I read it in two days...very good! She really takes you there and you suffer with Joy, feeling every inch of her pain. Now I'm ready for book 3. Lisa See is a great writer.
 
Amanda M.
Knock Off by Rhonda Pollero
Rating: 4 Stars
Finley, also know by her initials F.A.T., is a paralegal working in a big law firm in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her ideal life gets turned upside down when a client comes in to settle her husband's estate but claims that her he was killed and she would like Finley to investigate. This is the first book in the Finley Anderson Tanner mystery series.
 
Ozarks Mom
The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the third in Donnelly's trilogy, THE WINTER ROSE, THE TEA ROSE and now THE WILD ROSE. Her books are full of interesting characters and events that actually draw you into the stories. Many of the characters follow through all three books.
 
Julie H.
The Violets of March by Sarah Jios
Rating: 4 Stars
Intriguing novel in a beautiful setting. Emily Wilson heads from NYC to Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound to recoup after her divorce. She discovers a diary/story that brings past and present together in very surprising ways.
 
Julie H.
The Other Life by Ellen Meister
Rating: 2 Stars
I found I didn't connect very well with the heroine, Quinn, and thought her pull to the other life was somewhat selfish.
 
Debbie
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Rating: 3 Stars
This is my first encounter with the writing of Agatha Christie, and yes, she writes a splendid mystery. Christie creates brilliant and vivid characters, and of course, Hercule Poirot, is marvelous. I am unsure if I like Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Homes the best. Both men expose flawed, but brilliant personalities.

In this mystery, Christie's first published mystery, an older woman is poisoned, and of course, the main suspect is the woman's new, young husband. The story is told by Hastings, a friend of Poirot and a sidekick like Watson is to Holmes. The only obstacle in Christie's writing is the long, long chapter divisions. I would be reading and plan to stop, but would be miles away from the end of the chapter.

 
Julie H.
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Rating: 4 Stars
Gwen's eccentric family consulted a seer and believes her cousin Charlotte to be the carrier of the family time traveling gene. As the girls reach adolescence, Charlotte is monitored closely for signs of vertigo as everyone waits for her first jump in time. When Gwen begins feeling strange, the family comes to realize they've been training the wrong 16-year old for a life of time travel and chronography. 

The first book in this German trilogy is wonderful. I really liked the pacing of the story and felt as though things were being revealed to me right along with Gwen. There's a lot of attention to detail (similar to TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE) and the mystery of the twelve travelers who will make the chronograph whole is intriguing.

 
Trez
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
Rating: 5 Stars
Very good book. I really enjoyed reading this book, although it was sad. Geraldine Brooks is a great writer. Her words, similes and metaphors are music to the ear and make very vivid impressions.
 
Marsha
Swimsuit by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Rating: 5 Stars
Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now working as a crime reporter for the LA Times, is given an assignment in Hawaii to investigate a missing swimsuit model. As he unravels the case, which is blooming into a serial killer story, he is approached by the killer who forces Ben to write of the killer's life story or the lives of Ben and his girlfriend are in jeopardy. It's a heart-pounding thriller. It is Patterson at his best.
 
Lynn
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Rating: 3 Stars
I finished this book a week ago. I'm still thinking about it; hence, the 3 stars. The subject matter was painful. Mr. Cleave wrote masterfully. Two narrators and flashbacks were not confusing. This book would be wonderful for book clubs --- lots to talk about.
 
Kellie
Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow
Rating: 3 Stars
I had a hard time getting really excited about this book. First, the good things.learning about Charleston and Kings Mountain's role in the Revolutionary War was fascinating. I love reading novels about places I have actually been to. The story of Celia is OK and I did like her character, and Luke and Jimmy. There were parts of this book that grabbed me and I raced through the words to find out what happens next. The historical aspect of this book is very interesting and I think the author did a good job of weaving the history with the story. 

Now, the negative.I thought there were too many parts of this book that dragged. The author did not do a good job helping the reader keep the various characters straight. There were too many. There were not very many exciting parts to this book and the ending was very disappointing. I was expecting something a little more exciting. 

I am glad I read this. It is not very often I read a book published in the '50s. However, after reading all the wonderful reviews, I guess my expectations were too high.

 
Lynn H.
Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
There are three great love stories in this book, one being the love between a grandmother and granddaughter. Although it was a little predictable at times, I absolutely loved it.
 
Dianne
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
Rating: 5 Stars
I normally do not read war stories but this one was recommended by many people so I gave it a try. This is an excellent story of young men at war. The reader is completely drawn into battle settings.
 
Michele C.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker
Rating: 5 Stars
LOL!!!
 
Rita C
Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen
Rating: 5 Stars
A CIA agent's two-year-old son is kidnapped as an act of vengeance. Nine years later he still hasn't been found, but her professional and maternal instincts tell her that he is still alive. She approaches Eve Duncan to assist her in finding her son. A book that keeps the midnight oil lit!
 
Michele C.
The Gods of Greenwich by Norb Vonnegut
Rating: 5 Stars
This paints a scary financial picture.
 
Michele C.
Red Leaves by Thomas H. Cook
Rating: 5 Stars
I went back to re-read this recently and I am glad I did.
 
EC
Treason At Lisson Grove by Anne Perry
Rating: 3 Stars
This is the latest Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novel. It is predictable, manipulated and, at times, unbelievable, but it is fun.
 
Senga R.
Pym by Mat Johnson
Rating: 5 Stars
A black professor with a fondness for Poe is hired to teach African American Literature and denied tenure. PYM is a sardonic tale of the ex-professor's expedition to discover the lost island inhabited by a mysterious black people as described in Poe's novel, THE NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM OF NANTUCKET.
 
Kathy
The Other Daughter by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 4 Stars
Good mystery with a lot of twists and turns. Good for book clubs.
 
Kathy
The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 4 Stars
This is about a husband which is a mother's worst nightmare. Characters are well developed. I enjoyed this book, although the ending was predictable.
 
Cindy in CA
The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
Rating: 5 Stars
Loved this book! This is about a mother/daughter relationship, secrets that are kept, and cultural/generational differences. Story takes place in both San Francisco and homeland of China.
 
Cindy in CA
The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington
Rating: 3 Stars
Delightful story about a young single mother who rents her SF in-law quarters to an ex-monk who has just left the monastery.
 
Marsha
Stone Cold by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
Oliver Stone and the Camel Club are back in business, this time protecting this newest member, Annabel, from a vendetta by a powerful casino owner. Stone's shadowy past is rising up as someone is killing members of a group in which he was also a member. Thrilling.
 
Tanya
Faithful Place by Tana French
Rating: 3 Stars
Frank and Rosie were supposed to run away together but Rosie never showed up at their meeting place. Frank assumed she changed her mind and he left without her. What really happened to Rosie?
 
Rita C.
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 4 Stars
A good read. Detective Jane Rizzoli is back in action looking for a serial killer. A book to make you check that the doors and windows are locked
 
Kathy
Runaway by Alice Munro
Rating: 1 Stars
I really had a hard time reading this book. Very depressing stories which really mad me sad. If I want to feel that way, I could just watch the nightly news.
 
Malina
Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't know where to start with this book. Sara is one of three sisters, but she, however, is adopted. This sets up our story for her wondering about her real parents, esp. since she has had a daughter of her own and will soon be getting married. When she finds her birth mother things don't go as planned, and after hiring a private investigator to find her father, things really start to fall apart. 

NEVER KNOWING brought out every emotion on the spectrum for me --- I felt anger, disgust, fear, happiness, frustration, not all in that order of course. I found myself connecting with Sara but also getting annoyed with her for her weaknessess that I felt she should overcome. Not only do we have a well told story, but also some surprises that you don't really see coming. If you are not a fan of Chevy Stevens you should be, I recommend reading NEVER KNOWING as soon as you can

 
Betty Jo H.
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Rating: 4 Stars
Despite this book starting off slow, Anna Quindlen has that way of slowing getting her readers drawn into her stories...this book is excellent. In fact her descriptions of grief are so real it is hard to believe she has lived through such an experience. This book is an emotional read and the rawness of the narrator Mary Beth really hit home with me. It took me back to a loss 23 years ago like it happened yesterday....and why would I even want to feel those feeling? Because I find some comfort that someone else may have a hint of what I felt. It may be weird but true.
 
Kim S.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
A story of survival, young Katniss is forced to make some difficult decisions in order to be the winner of the Hunger Games. Loved this book.
 
Sandy
Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a great book and a fast read! You will love it!
 
Michele C.
Satan's Sisters by Star Jones
Rating: 4 Stars
Very funny book!!!
 
Freckles
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Not my favorite by Jodi Picoult but still good nonetheless. I love the way Jodi Picoult takes an ethical issue and turns it into a story. The way she portrays the perspectives of the main characters in the first person lends a lot to the story and motive for each character. Whether you agree with their philosophy or not, you can certainly gain an understanding where they've come from.
 
Natasha S.
Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent
Rating: 5 Stars
After losing my grandmother and my uncle within 6 weeks of each other just a few months ago, this book really spoke to my heart! A simple, but fantastic must-read!
 
Michele C.
Sixkill by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 5 Stars
I will so miss the Spenser series. What a great, entertaining author Mr. Parker was.
 
Michele C.
I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
Rating: 5 Stars
She is always a great read and this book is one of her best!
 
Jane S.
The Prisoner's Wife by Susan Page Davis
Rating: 5 Stars
A story of Jack blamed for a murder he did not commit. A town that held things against Jack just because of who his Dad was. A hasty marriage that wasn't expected to last. A boy who runs away from home. Forgiveness, justice, and God's love unfolding in so many ways. God's plan does ever work the way we would think it.

The prodigal son leaves home to join militia but he was too young...yet he does not return home for a whole summer. God's redeeming mercies and his return to his father. Yet God used all of this for other reasons.
A story you won't be able to put down. Each chapter keeps you pushing on. I read it in two days, so be sure you have time to just sit and read all of it.

 
Donna K.
Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of the most unique novels about the Holocaust I have ever read. It really gets you thinking and without using any preconceived ideas or beliefs in the process.
 
S.Salleh
Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille
Rating: 4 Stars
I love DeMille's sense of humor in all his books, and WILD FIRE, despite the 'dark' plot, continues to give me pleasure in reading Demille's material. He is an author who indicates that nothing is the way we think it is....now waiting for LION GAME.
 
Natasha S.
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
Rating: 5 Stars
Great book! Just make sure you have time to read it, because you will not want to put it down! Realistic enough and really brings up some moral dilemmas that makes for a great book club discussion!
 
Valerie G.
Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 4 Stars
Fast moving easy to read, every mother's nightmare. My bookclub is enjoying it very much.
 
Phyllis
In The Company Of Vampires by Katie MacAlister
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the adult continuation of GOT FANGS and CIRCUS OF THE DARNED. 

Five years have passed since Fran left Ben to decide if she wanted to be his Beloved. When she hears that her mother is missing, she returns to the Gothfaire and finds Ben in the arms of another woman. Fireworks happen as she realizes that she doesn't want anyone else touching Ben. With her Viking ghosts offering to slay Ben, wanting to protect her, Gods and power hungry immortals to fight, her mother to find, and finding her way to loving and accepting Ben's love, Fran's life is anything but mundane. 

IN THE COMPANY OF VAMPIRES is laugh out loud, hilarious fun. Katie MacAlister always has the zaniest characters and dialog. I'm ready for the sequel to this one to see what happens next with Fran, Ben, and the Vikings.

 
Linda J.
Here We Go Again by Betty White
Rating: 3 Stars
Abridged version of Betty White's 1995 memoir read by Betty White. Even through tough times, Betty seemingly keeps her optimistic outlook. Still, interesting to hear of Betty's association with the early days of television. She has had a blessed life and knows it. The book ends in 1995 as she is about to start a new television show with Marie Osmond.
 
bk
Coming Back: A Sharon McCone Mystery by Marcia Muller
Rating: 4 Stars
I was lucky enough to win this book from WOM. Thank you WOM! 

The plot is a continuation of private eye, Sharon McCone's struggle to regain full use of her mind and body after a head injury in LOCKED IN. With her husband, Hy Ripinsky, and her team of workers at McCone's investigative agency, she is pulled into a missing person's case that turns deadly. A friend she met at rehab suddenly stopped going to therapy. When McCone finds that the friend has vanished without a clue, her intuition tells her that something very bad has happened. 

As always, the tale is set in San Francisco. It was an enjoyable book. Muller's husband is the mystery writer Bill Pronzini.

 
Natasha S.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Rating: 5 Stars
A good and true story about an African American woman whose cancer cells were used for research at a time where consent was not enforced. Great insight into the family's life, clear concise details about medical history, and an overall eye-opening book!
 
Natasha S.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
If you haven't read this book, then what are you waiting on??
 
Natasha S.
In the Woods by Tana French
Rating: 5 Stars
A great international mystery writer who has a way of weaving a tale that draws you in and has you begging for more! You can't put it down until you've finished the final chapter!
 
Jud H.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent retelling of the life of Abraham Lincoln with a hidden twist.
 
Rita C.
The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
Dr. Scarpetta has offered her services to New York Cities Medical Esaminer. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a plot that includes an actor accused of a sex crime and the disappearance of a millionaire. Try the large print. It makes it easier to read when you just CAN'T put the book down.
 
Rita C
Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
After a stint with the mortuary to pay off old school debts, Dr. Scarpettaa returns to her forensic center to a case that could shut down the center. Who is to blame? Scarpetta considers it a top secret conspiracy
 
Rita C
Hell's Corner by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
Another of the Oliver Stone books, set in Washington DC. Who set off the bomb in Lafayette Park, across the Street from the White House? A page turner

 
Leslie
River of Darkness by Buddy Levy
Rating: 3 Stars
Orellana's expedition down the Amazon.
 
Rita C
America: A Jake Grafton Novel by Stephen Coonts
Rating: 5 Stars
First a super satellite jointly sent to space veers out of control before orbit and crashes into the Atlantic. A few months later, a new breed of untrackable submarine, the America, is hijacked during its maiden launch. Jake Grafton, Toad Tarkington and Flap LeBeau are among the hunters for the sub. Politics, secrent agents and double agents make this a page turner.
 
Marjorie C.
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
Rating: 3 Stars
Just started but excited to see where it leads.
 
Linda
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Rating: 5 Stars
I was mesmerized by this book about how HeLa cells taken without permission from this black woman with cervical cancer have been the basis for cures for cancer, polio and many other diseases.
 
F Tessa B
Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen
Rating: 3 Stars
Typical Hiaasen. Crazy characters and outlandish plots.Very creative (if violent) ways of offing the bad guys. Skink makes a return appearance, along ith officer Tile. Hiaasen's books are just plain FUN to read. Total escapism.
 
Julie
Sara and Eleanor by Jan Pottker
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the story of a very young Eleanor Roosevelt and her mother-in-law, Sara Delano Roosevelt. This is a great read. It really delves into the compelling relationship between these two very strong mined women.
 
F Tessa B
Cold Case Squad by Edna Buchanan
Rating: 3 Stars
3.5 Stars

Buchanan is in top form as she introduces a new series --- Detective Craig Burch leads the cold case squad. Here he's looking into two cases, including one that his lieutenant, K C Riley, has insisted the squad check --- IT wasn't even a homicide but the circumstances hit close to home for Riley. A fast wrap-up leaves some holes.

 
Linda H.
Dust to Dust by Heather Graham
Rating: 4 Stars
As Scott Bryant and his friends walk home, they see an elderly couple being mugged. They jump into the fray. Scott seems to assume superhuman powers as he flies into the melee. His friends are stunned. Even more so when the police tell them that the robbers include a priest and a college professor who remember nothing. As other strange things start occurring, Scott is not aware that he has been called by a higher being to battle the evil forces of Bael. A book that will keep you reading till the very end.
 
Jud H.
Devil's Plaything by Matt Richtel
Rating: 5 Stars
What if human memory could be the next evolution in computer storage? This plot involves a young journalist and his aged grandmother who's declining mind holds a secret that someone high in the government wants back.
 
Linda H.
You Can't Hide by Karen Rose
Rating: 5 Stars
Psychiatrist Tess Ciccotelli is hated by the police department after testifying that a murderer of several young girls was insane and unable to stand trial. As a result of her testimony, the killer was sentenced to life in an insane asylum. Now Tess's patients are being led to suicide and someone is making it look like Tess orchestrated their death. Detective Aiden Reagan agrees with the other police and was in the courtroom when he heard Tess's testimony but, working with her on the case, finds himself changing his mind. Who hates her enough to kill these people and blame her? Another suspenseful book by Karen Rose that will be hard to put down until the last page.
 
Sandy
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Rating: 5 Stars
Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother's life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew --- a reclusive, real-life gentle giant --- she realizes that mysteries aren't solved in Mullaby, they're a way of life.
I loved this book!!! Easy, quick read.

 
Marsha
A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block
Rating: 3 Stars
I have read several Matt Scudder books written by Block and this one is a bit on the tedious side. Scudder is a recovering alcholic and attends AA meetings constantly. At one of these meetings he is reacquainted with a childhood friend and his sponser who leads him into a mystery he feels obligated to solve. The story is told in flashback.
 
Linda H.
Peony in Love by Lisa See
Rating: 3 Stars
After reading and loving SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, I was looking forward to reading this. I thought it was a sequel to but it was not, and it was not as good as SNOW FLOWER. The main character dies of "lovesickness" and the story is carried on by her ghost. I was very disappointed in this book.
 
Linda H.
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
Pearl and May Chin are the spoiled daughters of a prosperous merchant in Shanghai. Their days consisted of sleeping late and waking to shop for clothing to wear to nightly parties. This world crashed around them when their father admitted to gambling away their wealth and now owing the gangs. The only way out was to sell his daughters in marriage. As Pearl and May are married to the sons of a merchant, they are told they would all be traveling to America. Their new lives start in a new country. This was an excellent book and I highly recommend it.
 
ewhatley
Fragile by Lisa Unger
Rating: 4 Stars
This book gets off to a slow start as the characters are developed in about the first 70 pages but once the action starts, it really gets interesting. There's a lot going on in this small town and the folks who have lived there all their lives are so intertwined. Toward the end there are some deep moral questions that make you wonder what you would do under the same circumstances.
 
Soovie
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Rating: 5 Stars
Irving always delivers with a thought-provoking story unlike any other. There's no formula here a la Grisham, only a powerful telling of a tale of personal triumph over tragedy. This book will stay with you forever.
 
Kate C.
Doc by Mary Doria Russell
Rating: 5 Stars
Delves into the early background, life and challenges of Doc Holliday. Explores how his friendship with Wyatt Earp really came about --- all before the before the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral Wonderfully researched and beautifully written.
 
Linda H.
KnockOut: An FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter
Rating: 4 Stars
FBI Agent Dillon Savich is receiving telepathic messages from a little girl named Autumn. She is asking for his help but is deathly afraid of someone and is unable to give Dillon the information he needs. Meanwhile, bank robberies are being carried out and Dillon is caught in the middle of a robbery. One of the gang is killed and a young girl is wounded. She has vowed to kill Savich and precautions are taken when she escapes from custody. When Dillon still receives messages from Autumn, he and his wife, FBI Agent Lacey Sherlock, search for her Can they save her from her mad uncle Blessed and his cult?
 
Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson
Rating: 3 Stars
A cozy mystery about a female tattoo shop owner in Las Vegas who gets involved in a missing person case and then murder.
 
MJB
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Rating: 4 Stars
Emily feels like she has it all, then her life begins to unravel. She retreats to Bainbridge Island to stay with her great aunt Bee. While there she discovers a journal dating back to 1943, and begins to unravel a family mystery. A good debut read that will keep you turning the pages.
 
Jud H.
P is for Peril by Sue Grafton
Rating: 5 Stars
Great addition to the Alphabet series centering around a missing man.
 
L. Hann
Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo
Rating: 5 Stars
James Patterson and Richard Dilallo bring you back in time. A time that was not so easy in the south. This book is graphic and not for the faint of heart. Lynching is very much alive in the south and one man will risk his life to try and stop it.
 
Debbie
Jericho Cay by Kathryn R. Wall
Rating: 2 Stars
Kathryn R. Wall's Bay Tanner series hails from Hilton Head Island and the surrounding coastal area of South Carolina. Bay Tanner, the primary character, owns and operates an investigation company along with her partner, Erik. This episode features the disappearance of a millionaire and the inquiries of an author into the disappearance. 

Bay deals with the destruction after hurricane Kitty at her family mansion and her own home, the moving of her half sister and her caregiver to the family mansion, the death of her half sister's caregiver, the lingering doubt about her marriage, and the aging of Lavinia Small. Sometimes, Bay's attitude toward money seems too cavalier, and she comes across as a rich snob. The final chapter leaves the reader with questions, and of course, the formula for another novel in this series. This book is not as well written as other books in the series.

 
Sandy
The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller
Rating: 4 Stars
Once again Sue Miller takes us deep into the private lives of women with this mesmerizing portrait of two marriages exposed in all their shame and imperfection, and in their obdurate, unyielding love. The author of the iconic THE GOOD MOTHER and the best-selling WHILE I WAS GONE brings her marvelous gifts to a powerful story of two unconventional women who unexpectedly change each other's lives. 

Meri is newly married, pregnant, and standing on the cusp of her life as a wife and mother, recognizing with some terror the gap between reality and expectation. Delia Naughton --- wife of the two-term liberal senator Tom Naughton --- is Meri's new neighbor in the adjacent New England town house. Delia's husband's chronic infidelity has been an open secret in Washington circles, but despite the complexity of their relationship, the bond between them remains strong. 

What keeps people together, even in the midst of profound betrayal? How can a journey imperiled by, and sometimes indistinguishable from, compromise and disappointment culminate in healing and grace? 

Delia and Meri find themselves leading strangely parallel lives, both reckoning with the contours and mysteries of marriage, one refined and abraded by years of complicated intimacy, the other barely begun. Here are all the things for which Sue Miller has always been beloved --- the complexity of experience precisely rendered, the richness of character and emotion, the superb economy of style --- fused with an utterly engrossing story that has a great deal to say to women, and men, of all ages.

 
Anita N.
The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain
Rating: 5 Stars
I was lucky enough to win this book in a contest recently. I had read one other book by Ms. Chamberlain and enjoyed it very much. This one was even better. It is a story about friends --- part human interest story and part mystery. Ms. Chamberlain reminds me of another great wirter, Jodi Picoult. She writes about real life issues in a way that really keeps your interest. I am looking forward to reading other book of hers that I have missed.

I am sure all who read this wonderful novel will not be disappointed.

 
Jackie R.
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Rating: 3 Stars
Enjoying it... but not as much as SOMETHING BORROWED. A light summer read, exactly what I need right now.
 
Rita H.
Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchey
Rating: 4 Stars
A quick read with loads of interesting characters. It is a touching story, well told.
 
Michele C.
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
Rating: 5 Stars
EXCELLENT!!
 
Linda J.
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Rating: 5 Stars
I was livid through the second half of the book. 

This is the story of Zeitoun, who immigrated from Syria, married an American-born convert to Islam, has a family, develops his own remodeling, handy-person business and is known through New Orleans when Katrina threatens the city. Kathy, his wife, leaves town with the kids while Zeitoun stays behind for to protect his properties. 

Through the first part of the book, we learn the true character of Zeitoun. The second part of the book made me shudde for what our government showed Mr. Zeitoun.

 
Shirley Y.
44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel
Rating: 5 Stars
Again Danielle Steel does not disappoint us with her new novel. The story takes place in Manhattan and tells how strangers become roommates and their expiences through love, laughter and sadness.
 
Susan
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As is the case with Lisa's books, this one presented a moral and legal dilemma. Does a mother save her own child first or does she save another child who is physcially near her during an emergency? I couldn't put it down as the plot kept going on "women's intuition."
 
B. J. Simon
A Hard Death by Jonathan Hayes
Rating: 4 Stars
Authentic details from this real life medical examiner. Fast moving story with likeable protag.
 
Mar
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
Lisa See has hit a home run with this lovely novel of life just before the Japanese invasion of China and subsequent time in Chinatown of Los Angeles. Two sisters bound by hopes, dreams, friendship and memories survive many devastating experiences --- as their story unravels you will be held in suspense.
 
Carolann
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Rating: 2 Stars
This book wants to be nonfiction but can't and doesn't work as a novel.
Read THE MOVEABLE FEAST by Hemingway instead.

 
Elizabeth V
At The Devil's Table by William Rempel
Rating: 3 Stars
AT THE DEVIL'S TABLE, nonfiction by William C. Rempel, reminded me of a book I read a few years ago, KILLING PABLO by Mark Bowden. That book described Pablo Escobar's control of, literally, everyone in Columbia. His control of the country came as a result of his control of the country's illegal drug business. When Escobar encountered opposition, he simply had them killed. Likewise, when he found competition, he had them killed.

AT THE DEVIL'S TABLE describes one of those competing cartels, the Cali cartel. Its "godfathers" aimed to kill Escobar because, they claimed, they wanted to stop all his killing. This was seen as a public service by many. But left unsaid was the Cali cartel's desire for control of Columbia's drug business and for the elimination of their competition.

One man, Jorge Salcedo, dealt with the Cali cartel's security issues. And killing Escobar was considered to be a security issue. Salcedo made the arrangements.

He rationalized to himself that taking care of security was keeping him apart from the drug trade. He kept telling himself that. And he kept thinking of himself as a short timer.

I found the story tedious: the Cali cartel kept arranging and failing to have Escobar killed; he kept trying to kill them. Too much shoot-em-up or blow-em-up for me.

Once, Salcedo attempted to contact a United States official. In a scene that introduced this story, he called but couldn't get past the switchboard. He didn't know the name of the specific person he needed to speak with.

But when he finally did get the ball rolling with the United States, I no longer found the story tedious. It became exciting. And everything moved so fast.

Rempel is an investigative reporter, and he writes like one. He gives the facts and doesn't waste words by trying to pretty up his sentences. He tells a story we should all be aware of.

What I found tedious really is how it was. Rempel couldn't say otherwise, or this would be fiction.

 
Michele
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Rating: 5 Stars
This was one of the top 10 book club books that our book club missed so I thought I would try it on my own. Although I thought I had tired of all the Nazi era books there are more and more separate situations for the different countries affected by those beasts. In this case, this book reveals how the French were more than complicit in trying to please their Nazi occupiers and even hid behind the Nazis to satisfy their own prejudices. They rounded up all non-French born Jewish families including the children who in most cases were French nationals and placed them in horrific conditions as the first step to eventual extermination at Auschwitz. One little girl thought she was coming back and thought she was keeping her four-year-old brother safe. This is the tale of her journey trying to get back to him, intertwined with a modern day writer and her article on this part of French history. It is a tale of how our life experiences form us and affect us. 

De Rosnay keeps you interested even though you think you know what is going to happen. She kept me to the end and made me cry on the very last page.

 
Pattie B.
Manic by Terri Cheney
Rating: 5 Stars
Bipolar mania is described very well in this read.
 
Elizabeth V
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Rating: 4 Stars
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot is part examination of the HeLa cell, a cell taken from (not donated by) Henrietta Lacks when she was being treated at Johns Hopkins for cervical cancer. The other part of this book tells the story of Henrietta, and her family both before and after her death.

During the 1950s Henrietta Lacks had a two-timing husband, five children, and several medical problems that she left untreated, including syphilis. When she learned she had cervical cancer, she also ignored that for as long as she could but eventually went to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she could receive free treatment.

Shortly before Henrietta died, Johns Hopkins took a tissue sample from her cervix. As was routine and perfectly legal in the 1950s and for many years later, no one asked for her or her family's permission. And no one acknowledged her for her "donation" when the resulting HeLa cell made possible so much medical research and discoveries.

I should mention that Henrietta was black because that fact has everything to do with her children's reactions years later.

Because the HeLa cell could live indefinitely, which other cells could not, HeLa was reproduced in large quantities. Johns Hopkins gave the HeLa cell to just about anyone who asked all over the world at no cost.

As a result, medical research was advanced, but for years Henrietta's family was never aware of any of it. No one was deliberately hiding anything from them; but no one felt it necessary to tell them. The first the family heard of it was when Johns Hopkins wanted to test their blood 20 years later. And there began the first of many, many misunderstandings.

Day, Henrietta's husband, got the call but misunderstood that they wanted to get blood samples from Henrietta's children to test them for cancer. So they all gave blood samples, then became angry when they were never given results of the "tests."

The Lacks family was angry with Johns Hopkins Hospital and University and the researchers working with HeLa cells for more than 30 years for various reasons, all misunderstandings. And they most often didn't change their minds, even when told otherwise.

Rebecca Skloot has the patience of a saint! She gave up years of her time in pursuit of information for this book, much of it wasted because of the family's misunderstandings. And even when things appeared to be going well, a family member might suddenly mistrust her, again as a result of a misunderstanding (that she was working for Johns Hopkins, who they also mistrusted). Once, one of Henrietta's children, Deborah, even went so far as to physically attack Skloot because of a (you guessed it) misunderstanding.

So much of this book is devoted to clearing up misunderstandings, I found it mostly frustrating. However, Skloot did clear things up and, in doing so, told interesting stories within this story, for example, the actual history of Johns Hopkins, so mistrusted by not only the Lacks family but many other black people as well.

Skloot also related science in easy-to-understand language. It was a pleasure to read for that reason but also because, although I was aware of the various research projects she mentioned, I had not known how a minute cell had made them possible.

 
Celeste
Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin
Rating: 5 Stars
Really cute story of how "families" can be formed with the help of a canine friend.
 
Mabel
Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear
Rating: 4 Stars
I am not usually a hard core science fiction reader, so I wasn't sure when I picked this one up, but my husband thought I would enjoy it. And he is right --- it is a very good book! I like the interactions among the characters and I am interested in how the author sees children growing up without adults around to council them in social mores/behavior.
 
Becky Sue
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
Rating: 4 Stars
Very interesting historical novel concerning the discovery of unidentified fossils on the English coast and the bonding between two women of different social classes each interested in the science of discovery. This was made even more interesting after learning that Mary was a real person.
 
Julia
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Rating: 5 Stars
Eagerly anticipating the next book in the three part series.
 
Jackie W.
Running Dark by Jamie Freveletti
Rating: 5 Stars
A very suspense packed story that kept me reading well into the night because I wanted to see what was going to happen next. A timely subject about the Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, a ship that carries a weapon possibly chemical in nature and main characters- Cameron, a special agent, and Emma, a biochemist/marathon runner on a special assignment that is potential suicide....all make for a terrific book. I will read all her other books...highly recommended.
 
Elizabeth V.
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
Rating: 4 Stars
IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson, author of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, is the nonfiction story of the Dodd family in Germany, pre-World War II, beginning after Hitler came to power there. The Dodds are Americans: William, the ambassador to Germany, with his wife and two adult children. The accounts are largely taken from or based on the writings of William and his daughter, Martha; Larson also adds background so the reader is aware of what the Dodds' witness.

When he was offered the ambassadorship, William had been looking forward to having extra time to spend on his farm in Illinois and to work on a book he was writing. Instead, he and his family were transported to Germany, totally unaware that this was a new Germany, not the same place it was when William lived there years before. Gradually, so gradually it was maddening, he came to wonder if everyone there had gone mad, how there could be all around him such a "strange indifference to atrocity."

After the Dodds' first year (1933 to 1934) in Germany, William was struck by the "willingness of the populace and the moderate elements in the government to accept each new oppressive decree, each new act of violence, without protest. It was as if he had entered the dark forest of a fairy tale where all the rules of right and wrong were upended."

Martha was also slow to accept that she was witnessing evil. Long after she should have known better, she was happy to see that Germany was only trying to better itself. So she enjoyed herself: as a 24-year-old divorcee, she partied often and had affairs with several men, one the head of the Gestapo, another an official from the Soviet Union.

In the meantime, William, new to government work, came to be disliked by many other American government officials and representatives, in large part for his frugality and his criticism of their lack of it. At a time when most Americans were living with or just getting over the Depression, the American representatives in Germany had servants, cooks, chauffeurs, mansions, and new clothes for every occasion. Of course, they shot back with their own criticism that William's frugality was possible at the expense of the Jewish man who owned the home the Dodd's were renting so cheaply.

And once he took off his own blinders about the state of affairs in Hitler's Germany, William also came to be critical of America for being so unwilling to acknowledge what so many witnesses were reporting, so unwilling to criticize the new Germany.

So many books have been written about Nazi Germany, I wouldn't have been anxious to read this one if not for its author. Larson is a master at getting it right and making it readable. Again, with IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS, he's a historian who wrote not a history book but a book of history that was a page turner.

This is particularly true after William and Martha see Germany as a mere visitor there could not.
But this book of history was, as all history books are, significant because history repeats itself. Or we learn from it and avoid the same mistakes.

 
Kim B.
The Paris Wife by Paula McClain
Rating: 4 Stars
This novel, while historical fiction, gives the reader an intimate look into the lives of Ernest and Hadley Hemingway, before he became a successful writer. I felt as if I was on the streets of 1920's Paris, watching these creative ex-pats indulge and, eventuallly, destroy relationships. A sad story, but so well written that the reader is drawn into the story and knows the characters well enough to want to scream at them to stop!
 
Kathy J.
Do I Recognize You? by Glen Goleburn
Rating: 5 Stars
You will feel every emotion. Don't skip the forward written by Dr. Harry
Wechsler. While fictional, it could all be so real.

 
Allie
Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
Rating: 5 Stars
Interesting story about life in Paris for Jews during the Holocaust.
 
Shana
The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French
Rating: 4 Stars
I've just started reading this, but I love the way in which the title is inspired by those old pulpy B-movies.
 
jakapn
2030 The Real Story of What Happens to America by Albert Brooks
Rating: 4 Stars
5 Stars for a brilliant, contemporary and relevent tome warning of the type of generation gap that us boomers could never even imagine.

4 Stars for the conversational style that makes Mr. Brooks' satire all the more approachable and for the easy read.

Something less for the ending, of which there really isn't one (kind of like sketch comedy). Perhaps an opening for a sequel?...we can only hope.

 
Sue B.
Shadow Cay by Leona DeRosa Bodie
Rating: 5 Stars
Having lived and worked in South Florida this book protrayed a life I continuously read about in the papers. This is a first adult novel for this writer who will keep you turning page after page and by the end wanting more.
 
Sue B.
Vanished by Joseph Finder
Rating: 5 Stars
Actually, I am re-reading this in anticipation of BURIED SECRETS which will be released on the 21st! Joe is a fantastic writer. Fast paced/intelligent a must read for anyone who enjoys this genre
 
Jean M.
City of War by Neil Russell
Rating: 4 Stars
Very thrilling page-turner.
 
Jean M.
Shoot To Thrill: A Monkeewrench Novel by P.J. Tracy
Rating: 5 Stars
The quality of this series continues to amaze me. They are all good. Having read all that are out so far, I am ready for this mother/daughter duo to write faster!
 
Jean M.
Snow Blind: A Monkeewrench Novel by P.J. Tracy
Rating: 5 Stars
This Monkeewrench series book continues the wonderful thrilling stories. I love them.
 
GladysMP
The Bride Ship by Deborah Hale
Rating: 5 Stars
Setting out to find husbands for 40 young ladies leads to problems, but lots of romance. Even the caretaker finds herself looking for love. Deborah is a great writer and keeps the reader having a hard time to put this book down.
 
Carol
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
I was thrilled when Lisa See wrote a continuation of the characters from SHANGHAI GIRLS and this book did not disappoint. Now I'm hoping for another installment to pick up where this one leaves off!
 
Carol G.
A Change of Climate by Hilary Mantel
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved the book. How keeping a deep secret with roots early in their marriage changes their life long after in their marriage. It examines how they relate to each other and others in their life. The questions that arise kept me thinking long after the book ended.
 
Laurie C.
A Time to Heal by Barbara Cameron
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a book about a soldier who met an Amish woman who was injured working as a nurse in Afghanistan. He decided her hometown sounded so peaceful and that it would be a great place to recover. He goes there and ends up at her parent's farm. He takes this as a sign from God. He falls in love with her sister, Hanah. Will she fall in love with him, even though he is an Outsider? Will he be accepted as an Outsider? Can't give the spoilers, but Barbara Cameron is a great Amish writer. She writes better than many of the other Amish writers do.
 
Sherry F.
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
Finally read this. It lives up to all the hype --- a gritty page turner even if a YA book. I'm now on to book 2, CATCHING FIRE...hope it is as good.
 
Janet
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the best one in the series so far. I can't believe I waited so long to read these!
 
PennChone
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Rating: 5 Stars
My son is majoring in English Lit and said this is his favorite book so far --- I love it ! Dickens, whom I last read in HS, is an amzing writer and I look forward to re-reading others of his classics.
 
Paula B.
Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas
Rating: 5 Stars
An interesting relationship between an older woman (Hennie: 86) and a younger woman who moves to a remote mining town. My favorite quote: "You know what a storyteller is? It's a person that has a good memory, who hopes other people don't."
 
GladysMP
Married: The Virgin Widow by Deborah Hale
Rating: 4 Stars
This romance has more twists and turns that any such story I have ever read. Deborah is one heck of a storyteller and her books are always interesting.
 
Diane
The White Devil by Justin Evans
Rating: 5 Stars
Part thriller, part ghost story, THE WHITE DEVIL is intriguing from start to finish. Andrew Taylor does a year abroad at a boarding school after "a problem" from his former school may prevent him from getting into a good college. He is set to be the lead in a play and meets a former lover of Lord Byron in a ghostly way. Andrew must solve the mystery of why some students are stricken with a deadly disease, brought on by the ghost, before it is too late. This novel is not to be missed.
 
Laurie C. www.lauriehere.blogspot.com
The Reluctant Queen, The Love Story of Esther by Joan Wolf
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is about the book of the Bible ---- Esther. Joan Wolf made the historical events 95% accurate, per her interview. This is about Esther, who grew up with Mordecai, her uncle, after her parents were slaughtered in the Persian War. He took her to Susa and raised her. It came time that Susa needed someone in the King's palace to be able to stick up for the Jews, as there was talk of another war. Esther was sent to the King's Harem. She was told she was in a horrible condition. Her hair was horrid, you couldn't curl it and her skin was horrid, too. She spent weeks having the women who worked in the Harem taking care of her until it was time for her to meet the King. They both fell in love with each other. Deeply in love. So much so that Esther had the King's Concubine almost all married off. 

The king spent his time with her and her only. Esther still did not know why she was in the castle as the Queen. If the king found out she was Jewish, what would she do? As it was, she was there under the pretense of her father being Persian, which was okay. She never let on about her mother who was the Jew --- Esther was even brought up Jewish, but never let on to that either. Once in a while she would lift up her arms in prayer to the Lord, still trying to figure out why she was there.

The time came. One of the King's men declared that ALL the Jewish people of the land would be killed. Esther knew what she had to do. The King was not due to come home until a few days after one of the King's men accused her Uncle, Mordecai, that he was a theif and stole the King's gold. He was to be put to death without a trial. The Jews were ordered to be killed by this man as well.

Esther eventuallly had to face the King about her being Jewish. If you know the story of Esther, you know what happened after this, but if you don't know the story I am keeping you hanging because this book was excellent! I LOVED how Joan Wolf brought in 'those' days of regular, every day life, as if we were living it. I believe it was 485BC. She wove in daily life so we would know what it was like to live back then. It made the story very enjoyable to read this way. Joan has a talent with writing like this and I hope she writes about more books of the Bible. I LOVE when writers take a book of the Bible and turn it into an everyday story that we can relate to. One of the hardest things about reading the Bible is understanding it, and understanding the customs of the people. Joan did a wonderful job adapting this story so we could understand it better, which is why I hope she writes more books like this taken from the Bible.

 
Cindy
Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
Rating: 5 Stars
Anyone who enjoyed reading Jeanette Walls' THE GLASS CASTLE is sure to enjoy this engaging story of Jeanette's grandmother's life. I couldn't put it down!
 
Laurie C.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was AWESOME! About a man and a woman who lived in a bad mental institution in the late 60's. She ends up being raped. She has a boyfriend. She is white and he is black. They escape to have the baby and end up at a widow's house. The authorities come and take them away but Lynnie whispers two words to the widow - "Hide her." The widow cares for the baby. The man is known as #42. He escaped the authorities. Lynnie and #42 have not seen each other in years. One day the local news does a story on the Mental Institution. It causes an uproar. I can't give any more away, so I don't spoil it! But what happens to the baby? Do Lynnnie and #42 meet up again? What about the widow? This book was AWESOME!
 
Tea
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
Rating: 5 Stars
Reading this novel is like reading a multifaceted book about love, secrets, and family. One part of the story is the present and another part is historical taking place on Bainbridge Island near Seattle during 1943. There are many relationships tied and twisted together. You must keep your eyes glued to the page.
 
Laurie C. www.lauriehere.blogspot.com
Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon
Rating: 3 Stars
This was a different book in that it involved fairies. Lisa is a little girl and her family and friends believe she was kidnapped by the fairies because she always talked about going into the woods and through the secret door where she could see the fairies. Later in the book, one of the girls becomes pregnant and she finds out her boyfriend had signed a contract when he was young promising his firstborn child to the fairies. They go on a quest to find out the truth. This book was okay It was really different from what I am used to reading. I still feel a little uncomfortable thinking about the book. It's just out of my genre, that's all. I can't say it was a bad book as there are many of you out there that like fantasy genres. I give it a 3.5
 
Marleen D.
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
Rating: 4 Stars
I rate this a 4.5. They really were short stories, especially for SK, as his short stories are usually short novels. It was four stories and 363 pages including the epilogue. Loved them, and always love his work.
 
John M.
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
Rating: 5 Stars
I tend to only rate books which I enjoy the most, and I give those books a high rating. Normally, I read a book and then see the movie, but this was the reverse. Both the book and the movie were excellent and complemented each other well. Mr. Woodrell tells a moving story about a young teenage girl with grit, and how she overcomes the poverty/drug ridden environment in the Ozarks of Missouri. Powerful stuff here. After I read the book, three others in my office have borrowed and read it.
 
Eileen Q.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is great fun! It reports many unique and awkward situations, and the humor behind them. I would call it a product and not necessarily a book, as it is not especially well written...still a lot of fun!
 
Judy O.
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the true story of Kamila Sidiqi in Afghanistan just days after the Taliban seized control of the country. Kamila had just received a teaching degree in her country, and now it seemed to be worthless since women were no longer allowed to be employed in any job outside the home. So, Kamila started a dressmaking business in her home. Little by little, other nearby women joined her business, and Kamila even started a school in her home to teach dressmaking to the young women of the neighborhood. All of this was accomplished under the "watchful" eyes of the Taliban officers. It is a remarkable true story about what can be accomplished when all seems hopeless.
 
Billie D.
Dreamfever by Karen Moning
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a MacKayla Lane novel, and quite intriguing.
 
Nanette
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Rating: 5 Stars
I looked for these books because of You've Got Mail...thank you for leading the way! The three Fossil sisters are becoming some of my favorite friends.
 
Peggy K.
The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry
Rating: 4 Stars
I love Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone books. Every book is a bit of a history lesson and this book is no exception. This time it is centered in the U.S. and covers early American history. The characters are well written and the plot is substantial. There are even pirates, modern day ones. his is a wonderful read, learning about our history has never been as fun or interesting. All the old gang is here but there are new additions readers will enjoy and talk about.
 
Andria P.
The Devil She Knows by Bill Loehfelm
Rating: 5 Stars
More a character study than a mystery. The quality of the writing is excellent. The author really lets you get inside the heads of his characters.
 
Andria P.
The Boy in the Moon by Ian Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
This book really shows the power of love for a child and how much parents will sacrifice for their children. It also shows how strong love must be between spouses to survive the rigors and demands of a handicapped child.
 
Andria P.
Now You See Me by S. J. Bolton
Rating: 5 Stars
This author just gets better and better. Every book is different and mesmerizing.
 
Vickie N.
44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel
Rating: 2 Stars
Another let down. Her books are becoming all the same book after book. I wonder why I keep reading them. Next time, I will read other comments before I waste my time. Skipped a lot and didn't miss a thing.
 
Lynn M.
Freethinkers by Susan Jacoby
Rating: 5 Stars
Great book about freethinking (whether deist, atheist, agnostic, or religious) in the U.S., starting with the "Founding Fathers" up 'till today.
 
Michele
The Arrivals by Meg Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Yes, yes and yes!! I loved it.
 
Cindy H.
The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty
Rating: 4 Stars
This was an interesting read - explores a troubling mother daughter relationship during a horrific accident. The mother is definitely the one with many issues that needs working out but it is the daughter who kills someone in a car accident and I felt that we didn't get to really feel her emotions as we should of - she was not as deeply a part of the story as I felt she should have been.
 
Cindy H.
Faithful Place by Tana French
Rating: 4 Stars
This is my favorite of Ms. French's three books. The characters are believable and the mystery keeps you on your toes. Definitely a good read.
 
Michele
Juliet by Anne Fortier
Rating: 4 Stars
Finally, I got to this book and it was worth the wait!